The Secrets of Success

Results

When your mind tells you it is time to stop, how do you keep pushing forward? Your mind is a powerful tool and has the ability to keep pushing you forward or completely shut you down. Successful people have the ability to keep pushing through when times get tough. Even though your mind might be telling you it is time to throw in the towel, successful people find the will to keep going. This can be extremely hard to do especially when you are not seeing the results you want day after day.

There are days you have to just go through the motions in order to stay on track. Other times, your mind might be telling you it is time for a little break. It is very likely you may need to recharge. You get so wrapped up in the day to day projects, you can get burned out. If you are burned out, you will lose your creative flow. Break the routine to find different results.

Take a step back and reevaluate what you are trying to accomplish. If you are too emotionally connected at all times, you may be missing key elements that can advance your efforts in a significant way. Have passion for what you are doing but don’t be too emotionally caught up. Emotions may cause you to make bad decisions.

The key is not to give up. You may have to change courses a bit but keep moving forward. This is the most challenging stage. You get tired, your not seeing results, and you are completely frustrated. This is where the majority of people give up. It’s those people who understand the process, know how to re-evaluate their actions, and go after it at a different angle. It’s possible that just a couple of small tweaks is all your really needed. Those people who gave up, will never know.

When Your Mind Tells You it is Time to Stop was last modified: August 29th, 2017 by Keriann Worley

Now that you are taking action on your goals and following your passion, it is going to get really hard so be prepared. The reason it is going to get hard is because you’re probably not going to see results as fast as you want. You may become frustrated so it is important to recognize the victories, no matter how small. Once you take action, it can be one month, one year, two years or longer to start seeing any kind of major results. If you pay close attention you will see small positive things happen over time. These small victories are bringing you closer to your ultimate goals.

After you have identified what you are truly passionate about and what gets you excited to wake up in the morning, time becomes a non-issue. Every day you are doing something you love.

Patience will be key during this process. People want it now. When it doesn’t happen quickly, that is when we give up.

Small victories must be celebrated to keep spirits high. If there isn’t a seismic shift, you automatically assume there are no results. Identify one thing a day that got you closer to your goal. It may be as simple as learning something knew. These acknowledgements will get you through the challenging times and reward you for all your hard work. Small victories will also keep you headed in the right direction…Forward!

During these tough times, you will think about giving up. That’s okay. Everyone who is pursuing a major goal will feel like giving up many times. The reality is only a small percentage of of people actually keep going when it gets tough. Most people don’t have it in them to push through the adversity. As soon as someone gets tired and frustrated, they tap out and their goals are put to the side. It will take tremendous discipline to get where you want to go.

If you have it in you, push forward when it gets hard and celebrate all the victories. You will be able to represent that small percentage of people who actually makes it happen.

Why It Is Important To Celebrate All Your Victories was last modified: August 17th, 2017 by Keriann Worley

Create High Performance Teams For Better Results

If you are in a leadership role, you have probably spent a good amount of time trying to come up with ways to create a high performing team. A team is a collection of a small number of people with complementary skills who are committed to a common purpose, performance goals, and approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable. (Katzenbach & Smith, 2003) Leaders focus on stronger performance, more innovation, and resolving conflicts. It is not an easy task to develop a high performance team but, when you do, the rewards are plentiful.

Most members of high performance teams state that it is quite fun and satisfying. They are able to contribute to their highest level, with much cooperation and little conflict. People within these teams have a deep trust in one another’s ability and have a strong understanding of the team’s purpose. Team members are encouraged to express their feelings and ideas, engage in extensive discussions, and disagree when appropriate. Thus, the team understands the goal to work towards the same objectives. Each individual on the team focuses on the same target.

When individuals are engaged in extensive conversations and everyone on the team is contributing, great things can come from such a group. Creativity flows and roadblocks are knocked down. High Performance Teams forbid mediocracy, while commitment level is extraordinary. Each member expects a lot from themselves and from each other.

The atmosphere is also equally important to the team’s success. It is necessary to expose High Performance Teams to safe and risk-free environments where selection of individual players is vital. Team spirit within these groups must be nurtured and protected. Disagreements are not discouraged and, in fact, tolerated. Managing conflict is essential. Getting the team out for social events can help break down barriers. People tend to see individuals in a different light outside of work and connect on different levels. Getting them out socially can have a large impact on team spirit.

Authors of The Wisdom of Teams, Jon Katzenchach and Douglas Smith, found through several studies of team work the following about High Performance Teams:

A deeper sense of purpose.

Relatively more ambitious performance goals compared to average teams.

Better work approaches or complete approaches.

Mutual accountability; acknowledgement of their joint accountability towards a common purpose in addition to individual obligations to their specific goals.

Complimentary skill set and, at times, interchangeable skills.

An effective leader of a High Performance Team is not your traditional leader that is the ultimate decision maker. Rather, effective leaders of High Performance Teams are more facilitators and ensure the team has the proper tools, guidelines, and behavior to help produce the desired outcomes. Leaders within this environment must communicate timely, provide effective feedback, motivate, and hold team accountable. They are more process-oriented and rid of any barriers that prevent the team from being 100% immersed in the project. These leaders are also very good at dealing with the natural difference between individuals and managing group dynamics.

Once you put the time and energy into developing and leading a High Performance Team, the rewards are plentiful. Remove all distractions and worry so there are no barriers that will get in their way. Communicate often and at a high level. Lastly, make sure everyone understands the purpose.

Why Creating High Performance Teams Will Produce Great Results was last modified: August 14th, 2017 by Keriann Worley

Everything Happens at the Right Time!

Last week I wrote a post titled, “Looking for a Better Result?” analyzing how long you should wait before you make changes in your life for a different result. Patience vs. making drastic changes! I discussed how confusing these messages can be to someone who is looking to grow in their current position. There are many factors that you have to take into account, including the support you are provided from the network of people around you.

Should You Take a Different Approach or Be Patient?

Many times throughout your career you will be looking to take on more responsibility and move into bigger positions where you can make a larger impact within the organization. Sometimes these moves won’t happen as fast as you want them to. During these pivotal times, you may get frustrated and disheartened with the organization. It’s difficult to stay disciplined and self-motivated. You want to take that next step but no one is taking notice. Worse, they are not giving you proper feedback on what you need to do in order to move you up within the organization.